Movable combination derrick floor and engine base



May 2o, 1947.

W. B. TOBlN MOVABLE COMBINATION DERRICK FLOOR AND Filed April 29, 1946ENGINE BASE 2 Sheets-Sheet l #wu/,4M 5. 7' @z3/N,

INVENTOR.

,4free/sen May 20, 1947. w. B. TOBIN 2,420,803V

MOVABLE COMBINATION DERRICK FLOOR AND ENGINE BS Filed April 29; 194e 2sheets-sheet 2 W/L /AM 7b3/N,

INVENTOR. 47

l 14/ V.BYv

Patented May 20, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A MOVABLE COMBINATIONDERRICK FLOOR AND ENGINE BASE William robin, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 29, 1946, serial No. 665,856

(Cl. 18s- 21.)

3Claims. 1

This invention relates to means whereby an entire' derrick, together'with itsv various appurtenances, rotary machine,A drilling engine, drawworks, slush pumps, etc., may be readilyV moved from one location (atwhich a well` has been drilled) to another location (where drilling ofanother well may be immediately commenced) without the necessity ofdismantling the rig.

Asis well known, the drilling of oil and other deep wells involves theuse of' large and heavy machinery. Heavy duty, rotary derricks, forvexample, may weigh from thirty thousand to one hundred thousand pounds,and this does not take into consideration the weight of thel 4equipmentsuch as rotary machine, draw works, drilling engine, slush. pumps, mudtanks, mud screens, etc., which are. ordinarily employed with a derrickduring drilling. In the past, drilling derricks have been moved by beingski'ddedV from their foundations on to another not distant location, butthe skidding of a one lrllm'dred` twenty foot derrick is a dangerous andunsatisfactory method and requires the separate movement ortransportation ofv most of the equipment ordinarily used with a derrick.

Because of the tremendous weights involved, the height of av derrick,and the numerous forces which are set up in the 'derrick structure,transportation of a complete derrick, together withv its floor, drawWorks, and: norl'narlly employed machinery, has not been deemed possibleheretofore. As a matter of fact, thel normal construction` includesfoundations which are fixed, the derrick corners being generally made ofconcrete, the legs of the derrick being suitably bolted to the concrete.As a result, no one has `previously contemplated moving an. entirederrick together with its floor and sub-floor.

The present invention is directed to a, grillage frame or base movablysupported upon parallel, horizontally extending rails, the railsstraddling the normal cellar above which drilling` operations areusually conducted. The grillage frame includes a oor or support uponwhich the entire derrick i-s mounted and also includes adequateprovision for the support of the necessary equipment, such as rotarymachine, draw works, drilling engine, etc. The grillage frame may extendrearwardly for a suicient distance to accommodate not only the drillingengine but also mud tanks, mud pumps and mud screensy so that all of theequipment employed in rotary drilling is mounted upon the movable frame.The frame is of sunlclent height so that adequate room is left beneaththe derricl; for control gates, the Christmas tree and its accompanyingvalve and fittings within the cellar. The entire base frame or grillageis movably mounted upon the rails so that the entire derrick, togetherwith its equipment may be moved along the rails from a location aboveone cellar to another location Where the forward progress of the-derrick is ystopped. in position above a previously prepared cellar andconductor pipe therein so that drilling may be initiated at the newlocation Without waste of time.

In order to permit movement of this tremendous mass of equipment in acontrollable and eflicient manner, means have been provided whereby theload is distributed effectively and the entire derrick may be moved withbut a slight expenditure lof power Without skidding or appreciable lossof power due to friction.

It is an object of the present invention, there fore, to disclose andprovide a movable, combination derrick floor and engine base by means ofwhich. a complete 'drilling rig, together with its appurtenances, may bemoved from one location to another.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and providey means formovably supporting a complete derrick and its appurtenant machineryWithout undue frictional loss.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following detailed description of anillustrative embodiment of the invention. For purposes of illustration,reference will be had to the appended drawings, in which Fig. l is aside elevation.

Fig; 2 isa rear elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a sec tion of a lower bearingbeam or sill'.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through the means illustratedV inFig. 3.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the entirecombination derrick floor and engine base supports a derrick generallyindicated at I,` a rotary table indi-cated at 2, a draw works,schematically shown at 3, a drilling engine indi cated at 4', mud tanksindicated at 5, a suitable mud screen indicated at 6, and slush pumps 1.In the preferred form of construction, the movable base, generallyindicated at I0, consists, of a lower grillage l l of structural steeland an uppei` grillage i2, the entire assembly being supported uponrails I3 and M, the rails being parallel and suitably mounted upon`concrete or other footings I5 so as to strad'dle the cellar IE.

The lower grillage Il includes a plurality of longitudinally extending,parallel, spaced, loadbearing beams or sills such as I1, I8, I9, and 20.The outer load-bearing beams I1 and I8 (adjacent the sides of theassembly) are directly above and parallel to the rails I3 and I4 andsuitable roller, anti-friction means 23 and 24 are carried by the lowersurfaces of these load-bearing beams so as to permit the entire assemblyto move along the rails I3 and I4.

The longitudinally extending, load-bearing beams are connected by aplurality of transversely extending members such as 25, 26, and thelike.

The interconnection between the longitudinal and transverse elements ofthe grillage may be accomplished by the use of welding, fish plates,angles, or in any other suitable manner well known to structuralengineers.

The upper grillage I2 also includes parallel, spaced, longitudinallyextending beams such as 21 and 28 interconnected by transverselyextending members. The upper surface of the upper grillage may carryiloor beams such as 38 and 3l adapted to adequately support the weightof the casing, drill pipe, drill stem and tools,

Vertical columns such as 32, 33, 34, and 35 connect the longitudinalmembers of the upper grillage with the bearing beams such as I1 and I 8of the lower grillage. In addition, truss members such as l' may connectthe upper and lower grillages and give stability to the structure. Thetotal height of the base frame from the head of the rail i4 to the floorbeams 3U may be six to eight feet, thereby affording adequate roombetween the drilling floor and the top of the cellar.

In the central portion of the combined grillage means are provided forsupporting the rotary mechanism. Such means may, for example, includethe very heavy channel or I-beam members such as 39 and interconnectingmembers 45 so that the weight of the drill stem and the rotary table maybe adequately supported in position above the conductor pipe. The lowergrillage II may extend forwardly so as to form a support for the oor 4I, thereby permitting the mud tanks to be carried by the framework at alower level than the derrick floor, thereby allowing the circulating mudto be screened and returned by gravity to the mud tanks before beingpumped back into the well.

This complete derrick support, floor, and engine base are carried upon amultiplicity of anti-friction means such as 23 and 24 interposed betweenouter longitudinally extending bearing beams or sills I1 and I8 and thespaced, parallel rails I3 and i4. Details of construction of anillustrative form of such anti-friction means are shown in Figs. 3 and4, and attention will be drawn to certain important relationships whichmust be maintained in order to permit successful movement of the entirederrick and its equipment from one location to another.

In the rst place, the rail I4 should be heavy so as to adequatelysupport the weight and must be firmly fixed to the device or concreteupon which the rail is supported. The lower face of the load-bearingbeam I8 should be appreciably wider than the head width of the rail I4and it has been found that the lower face of the beam i5 should be notless than twice as wide as the head of the rail and preferably three orfour times as wide.

Each of the anti-friction means, such as the one indicated in general bythe numeral 24, comprises a bearing block 44 attached to the lowersurface of the load-bearing beam I8 in any suitable manner, as forexample, by the machine screws 45. The lower surface of the bearingblock 44 is provided with a plurality of semcircular, transverserecesses such as the one indicated at 4G, such recesses extending fromside to side of the bearing block. Each of these recesses is adapted toreceive a solid roller 41 and each roller has a length of not less thantwice and preferably three or four times the width of the head of therail I4. As best shown in Fig. 4, the roller 41 extends beyond the headof the rail I4 on both sides. It is to be understood that wherereference is made to semicircular recesses reference is made to anyrecess having a curvature adapted to readily receive and contact aroller such as 41, whether the center of curvature of such recess iscoincidental with the roller surface of the block 44 or slightly outsidesuch surface.

The block 44 is also provided with channels or passageways 48 leading tothe semicircular recesses 46. Endwise movement of the rollers 41 withinthe recesses of the bearing block 44 is restrained by means ofrestraining members 50 and 5I attached to the sides of the bearing blockas by means of bolts or machine screws 52. The restraining members 50and 5I are provided with apertures in alignment with the passageways 48,the apertures being provided with lubrication ttings 53 so that greaseor other lubricant may be introduced under pressure into the passageways48 and thereby lubricate the surfaces of the roll ers 41 in contact withthe recesses 46.

Each bearing block 44 is also provided with an end piece or pieces 54and 55, these end pieces being connected to the bearing block 44 as bymeans of bolts 55. The lower edge of each end block, such as 54, isprovided with a recess 51 adapted to loosely receive the head of therail I4, it; being understood that the end plates 54 and 55 extenddownwardly below the head of the rail I4. Transverse movement of theentire assembly is therefore prevented or limited by these end plates54, 55, etc.

The description given hereinabove is applicable to each of theanti-friction means carried by the longitudinal load-bearing means orsills I1 and I8, and, as previously stated, a plurality of such means isprovided, it having been found desirable to use one of such means undereach of the vertical columns connecting the lower and upper grillageabove the rails I 3 and I 4.

It will be noted from a consideration of Fig. 4 that the total load istransmitted to the upper surfaces of the rollers 41. The entiresemi-circular recess 46 is subject to the load. This load is transferredby the roller to a rather limited area on the head of the rail. Aspreviously stated, the head width of the rail is not less than one halfand preferably one third or one fourth the length of each recess orroller. As a result, the rollers 41 will readily rotate within theirrecesses since the recesses are well lubricated and the pressure persquare inch is relatively low. Since the rotation of the rollers 47 isfacilitated in this manner, the entire assemblage, including derrick,draw works and all other equipment, may be readily pulled along therails I3 and I4 by any relatively small prime mover as soon as theblocks or other stops employed in anchoring the derrick upon its railshave been removed.

I claim:

1. A movable, combination derrick floor and engine base comprising: astructural steel grillage of a width adapted to receive and support aderrick and drilling machinery, said grillage including parallel,longitudinally extending bottcm bearing beams adjacent its sides; a pairof horizontal, parallel rails having a head Width smaller than the widthof the longitudinally extending bearing beams, said rails being inalignment with and beneath each of the bottom bearing beams; a pluralityof bearing blocks carried by the bottom of each of the outer bearingbeams, each bearing block being not less than twice the width of thehead of the rail, the lower surface of each bearing block including aplurality of semi-circular, transverse recesses; and a, roller in eachrecess and in contact with the head of the rail, each roller having alength of notless than twice the Ywidth of the rail head.

2. A movable, combination derrick corA and engine base comprising: astructural steel grillage of a width adapted to receive and support aderrick and drilling machinery, said grillage including parallel,longitudinally extending bottom bearing beams adjacent its sides; a pairof horizontal, parallel rails having a head width smaller than the widthof the longitudinally extending bearing beams, said rails being inalignment with and beneath each of the bottom bearing beams; a pluralityof bearing blocks carried by the bottom of each of the outer bearingbeams, each bearing block being not less than twice the width of thehead of the rail, the lower surface of each bearing block including aplurality of semicircular, transverse recesses; a roller in each recessand in contact'l with the head of the rail, each roller having a lengthof not less than twice the width of the rail head; means for restraininglongitudinal movement of each roller in its recess; and means forsupplying lubricant to each recess.

3. A movable, combination derrick floor and engine base comprising: astructural steel body adapted to receive and support a derrick, saidbody being provided with parallel, longitudinally extending bottombearing beams adjacent its sides; a pair of horizontal, parallel railshaving a head width smaller than the width of the longitudinallyextending bearing beams, said rails being in alignment with but beneatheach of the bottom bearing beams; a plurality of bearing blocks carriedby the bottom of each of the outer bearing beams, each bearing blockbeing not less than twice the width of the head of the rail, the lowersurface of each bearing block including a pair of semicircular,transverse recesses; and a roller in each recess and in contact with thehead of the rail, each roller having a length of not less than twice thewidth of the rail head.

WILLIAM B. TOBIN.

